Getting work in a trade can be difficult without help from other people. For some people, the Ontario College of Trades has helped to give information and promote trades and developing standards. Recently, the agency’s name changed to Skilled Trades Ontario. This renewed organization can help tradespeople get the information and help that they need.

Suppose that you were wondering whether or not to pursue a career in the trades, or you are unsure which trade would suit you best. You would need information from a reliable source. Skilled Trades Ontario has information on aspects such as apprenticeships and certification, as well as general information about the trades and other topics. This information includes explanations of compulsory and non-compulsory trades, as well as discussing other topics that that many tradespeople could find useful.

This kind of information is important for helping people decide what kind of career to pursue or learning about the process of training for a trade. Other resources are also available, many of which potentially have useful and accurate information. However, a government website like Skilled Trades Ontario pulls the most important information together while providing useful links for people getting into the trades.

Suppose that you have finished an apprenticeship and want to know the next step for becoming qualified. The Skilled Trades Ontario website has information on the Provisional Certificate of Qualification and on the process for becoming fully certified. Users can even click a link on the site to book the certification test. With all of the necessary information on the site, tradespeople in training can find out what they need to do so that they can become fully qualified.

As a Crown agency, Skilled Trades Ontario is part of the regulating process for trades in the province. The organization will develop training standards and examinations for each trade, a process that could take up to two years. At the end, tradespeople will have a better idea of what knowledge and skills they are supposed to have when they are fully qualified. Even though individual differences among tradespeople will still exist, they will know the requirements for working in these fields.

The idea of basic standards is very important for tradespeople and the employers or clients who hire them. Anyone who hires an electrician, for example, wants to know that the work will be done to a high standard rather than putting the building at risk of burning down in an electrical fire. Similarly, people who hire plumbers want to know that their homes will not be flooded because of a leaking pipe or improperly installed sink.

Following these standards can be difficult, especially when people in these trades are spread throughout the province, working in a variety of different situations. For example, someone in a small town in northern Ontario might be much more difficult to monitor than a tradesperson working in a large city, close to experts working in the same field. However, an organization like Skilled Trades Ontario gives people, including those outside the field, an idea of what to expect of tradespeople. That way, they can take note of problems and alert the certifying bodies if necessary to ensure that unskilled people get the upgrading they need before they continue with their work.

Skilled Trades Ontario is only one tool for ensuring a high quality of trade work in the province, but it is important. With its work in ensuring high standards and the best training possible, the agency has an essential role in monitoring the trades in Ontario.

Bibliography:

Global News. Ontario Launches New Crown Agency to Promote Skilled Trade Services.” https://globalnews.ca/news/8536661/ontario-launches-new-crown-agency-skilled-trades/.

Government of Ontario. “Ontario College of Trades Replaced by Skilled Trades Ontario.” https://www.canadiancontractor.ca/canadian-contractor/ontario-college-of-trades-replaced-by-skilled-trades-ontario/1003290481/.

Ontario.ca. “Skilled Trades.” https://www.ontario.ca/page/skilled-trades.

Skilled Trades Ontario. “Welcome.” https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/.